Monthly Bulletin May/June 2005 - Vol 8 No. 3

Norway and Russia to replace nuclear batteries

by Rolleiv Solholm, Aftenposten (Norway Post, 18 February 2005)

Norway and Russia have agreed to replace several hundred nuclear powered lighthouses in the Barents Sea region.

Thieves who have attempted to steal the nuclear batteries have created dangerous situations.

Hunting for scrap metals, the thieves have several times tried to remove the batteries containing the isotope strontium-90, which may be used to make so-called "dirty bombs".

If the batteries should fall into the hands of terrorists, the radioactive element therefore could be used to make such devices, Aftenposten writes.

This is not just a theoretical threat, said Undersecretary of State, Kim Traavik, at the opening in Oslo of an international conference of experts discussing the problem.

In addition, the radiation is also dangerous to the public, even though they are located in remote areas, and a possible source of pollution.

For this reason Norway will this year spend NOK 20 million on replacing 46 nuclear batteries with solar panels along the coast of the Kola Peninsula and the White Sea.

Work is underway to gather international assistance to help Russia replace 700 nuclear batteries in the region. More than 80 experts from 11 nations are gathered in Oslo to discuss the problem.